The Department for Transport (DfT) has confirmed that councils will be given more power to make decisions on bus services.

Transport minister Norman Baker revealed that reforms to the Bus Service Operators Grant will give local authorities more freedom to introduce new routes, but the system also means they will be more accountable for their actions.

Government officials are keen to see more people travelling on public transport, but a DfT study from last month showed that bus usage dropped by 1.3 per cent in the year to March 2013 - with 4.62 million journeys being completed over the 12-month period.

These figures will concern the authorities, but Mr Baker is hopeful that recent legislative changes will lead to better services being offered.

He commented: "These important reforms will give councils more freedom to determine appropriate bus provision, handing more power to local communities to take decisions based on local knowledge and priorities."